Ether vaporizer



NOV. 8, 1938. L A HE|DBR|NK v 2,136,245

ETHER VAPOMZER Filed Aug. 23, 1955 s sneets-sneet 1 ICT/ 8 DMlN-l-ERING- I MAcr-uNa I Inventor: Jh Headbm'nk Nov. 8, 1938. J. A. HEIDBRINK Filed Aug. 25, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 8, 1938. J. A. HEIDBRINK ETHER VAPORIZER Fiied Aug. 23, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patentedl Nov. 8, 1938 ates to an ether vaporizer and e an'ether vaporizer apt/ed to be My invention rel has for its object to provid of novel construction used in conjunction W '5` chine or such a gas-a bodying an absorber of CO2 ga It is an object of my inven the breathing line of a chine, preferably on the e vaporizer having means f ether therein from communica breathing line.

It is a further objec vide an ether vaporizer a l5` breathing line, preferably with means for causing all said breathing lin'e, sp

preferably ad h a gas-administering madministering machine emtion to provide in gas-administer xhalation side, an ether or wholly excluding the tion with the said t of my invention to pron dapted to be put in the the exhale side thereof, of the gases moving in ecically the exhaled gases, ther Vaporizer before going d thence to the inlet side to pass through the e through the absorber an of the breathing line.

It is a further object vide an ether vaporizer breathing line, prefera thereof, with valve mec sired and predetermined ing through the of my invention to proadapted to be put in the bly in the exhale side hanism such that a depart of the gases passbreathing line, specifically the hall go through theV ether vader thereof shall follow the breathing line on porizer and theremain the direct course through the exhale side thereof.

The full objects and a tion Will appear in co description thereof an particularly pointed In the drawings, illustrating my invention in one fo Fig. 1 is a plan View o chine having my ether vapori exhale side thereof. tion through the e line 2-2 of Fig. through part of the e of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sec line 4-4 of Figs. 1 and 5.

aken on line 5-5 of Fi elevation View of a portion of what is th the valve members in a dif- Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation taken on line 3-3 of ts not in section, and to what is shown in Fig. 3. f the addition above ched part sectional ber shown in Figs. tional plan View taken dvantages of my invention with the detailed d their novel features are t in the claims.

an application of f a gas-administering mazer positioned on the Fig. 2 is a transversesecther vaporizer in the position of 3. Fig. 3 is a vertical section ther vaporizer on line 3-3 tional elevation view on Fig. 5 is a sectional g. 4. Fig. 6 is shown in Fig. 4 wi ferent position.Y view similar to Fig. 3 and Fig. 2 butwith som showing an addition Fig. 8 is an elevation View o Fig. 9 is a deta view of the central con '1 and 8. Fig. 10 is a sec UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE ETHER VAPORIZER Jay A. Heidbrink,

The Ohio Chemie pany, Cleveland, Ohio Application August 23, 1935, Serial No. 37,499

Minneapolis, Minn., assigner to al and Manufacturing Comon line IU--III of Fig. 8. Fig. 11 is a detail view of an element of the control device shown in Figs. 1, 8 and 10. Fig. 12 is a sectional view on line I2I2 of Fig. 8.

As illustrated in Fig. l, a gas-administering 5 machine III of Well-known construction provides a stream of gas mixture which passes through a conduit II into valve chamber I2 communicating vvith the gas-delivery tubing on the inlet side I3 vof the breathing line. Tubing I3 connects at I4 10- With respirator valve mechanism I5 of well-known construction leading to the respirator I6 for delivering gas through tube I3 from valve chamber I2, which gas may comprise in addition to the mixture of fresh gases going from II, rebreathed 15 gases from a rebreathing bag of ordinary construction not shown. From the respirator the exhaled gases pass through the respirator valve mechanism I5 to tubing I1 of the outlet or exhale side of the breathing line. An ether vaporizer 20 I8 is preferably positioned in the exhale part I1 of the breathing line as indicated in Fig. 1, through which, either directly out of contact with the ether therein or contacting and picking up ether vapor, as may be desired, the exhaled gases 25 pass through valve chamber I9, and, controlled by valve 2D, through absorber 2I to a rebreathing bag no-t shown and thence to inlet valve chamber I2, all as shown and described in my copending application Serial Number 735,803. 30 The ether vaporizer I8 comprises a casing 22 n which embodies an inlet nipple 24 and an outlet nipple 25. The inlet nipple 24 is secured to the exhale tubing I1 of the breathing line while the outlet nipple 25 is secured to valve casing I9 in 35 the exhale side of the breathing line in the following manner, see' Fig. 4: A lock nut 26 `is rotatably held upon the end of nipple extension 25 .by means of an externally-threaded retainer nut 21 threaded into the interior of extension 25 and 40 engaging with an outwardly-extending flange 28 thereon an inwardly-extending annular flange 29 on the lock nut 2B. The lock nut 26 in turn is I interiorly threaded upon an extension 30 of valve casing I9. This extension and the connector nut 45 21 have milled surfaces 3l such that by means of the lock nut 26 the vaporizer casing 22 and parts carried thereby may be secured in gas-tight relation to the extension 30 of valve casing I9. The

35, which may be of any suitable material, such, for example, as a transparent material such as glass, and which contains a holder ring 31 embodying a reticulate cover 30 and an evaporator 39, which may be composed of a multiplicity strands of good capillary absorbing material such as long ber cotton or linen cords. A packing ring 45 between the preferably sharpened edge of extension 34 and securing nut 35 makes the union of the ether container S6 and the interior of casting 22 gas-tight.

Opening through the bottom wall 4| of casting 22 are circular apertures having threaded thereinto valve rings 42 and 43 which are provided with valve seats 44 and 45, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4. An extension tube 46 prolongs the passageway through valve ring 42 into ether container 35 and within the evaporator cords 39 to a desired extent. A semi-circular partition 41, best shown in Fig. 2, closes the chamber :'32 from the chamber 33 except for the opening through valve ring 4S provided with valve seat 49. A valve disc 50 on valve stem 5! cooperates with valve seat 44, and a valve disc 52 on the same valve stem 5| co-operates with valve seat 40. Similarly, a valve disc 53 on valve stem 54, in the same plane as valve disc 50, is adapted to cooperate with valve seat 45. The Valve discs 50 and 52 are in inlet chamber 32, and the valve disc 53 is in outlet chamber 33. Valve stem 5| is secured within a guide hole 55 in one arm 56 of a U-piece support 51, and valve stem 54 is secured within the guide hole 58 of a second arm 50 of said U-piece 51.

Chamber 30 within casting 22 is closed by a top plate 60 held in closing position by ring nut 6| which engages a washer 52 to render the connection gas-tight. Guide pins 03 and 64 are secured to top plate 60 in any desired manner, as by integral casting therein, or, as shown, by having countersunk heads 65 held to said plate by a clamping disc B6. The top plate 50 has a central aperture in which is seated a hollow extension member 61 interiorly and exteriorly threaded into the interior threads as indicated. At 68 is a valve stem 69 which is revolubly secured to U-piece 51. Threaded upon the outer threads of extension 61 is a packing nut 10 which engages a packing washer 1| through a compression spring 12 to render the revoluble valve stem gas-tight in position. Upon the top of valve stem 60 is secured a knurled hand disc 13 which carries a pointer 14 adapted to cooperate with a scale 15, Fig. 5, on the plate 55, which scale shows the fully off and on positions of the valves, and various intermediate positions, as 1g, 1/2, SA and the like. The casting 22, see particularly Fig. 3, is provided with an extension 16 formed with a channel or passageway 11 which leads through the bottom member 4| of casting 22 to discharge within the ether container. A filler funnel 18 is secured thereto with a removable cap 19 adapted to open the bottom of the funnel 18 to the passageway 11 whereby fresh supplies of ether may be conveniently supplied to the inside of the ether container.

Under some circumstances, it may be desirable to permit escape of exhalaton at the ether vaporizer before going through the same instead of at the respirator in which case a respirator without an exhalation escape valve may be employed. To accomplish this, I form on the casting 22 an extension 80 connected through passageway 8| with chamber 82, the extension 80 having a Q chambered portion 83 which opens to atmosphere through apertures 34. The passageway 8| iS provided with a valve seat 82 which Will be closed upon the negative pressure of inhalation by a valve disc 85. A cap 86 is secured inside of the extension 80 and has therein a screw member 81 which may be operated by a finger piece 88 to cause a clamp cup 80 to engage valve disc 85, and hold it closed, in that way rendering the mechanism inoperative, but available at any time the operating anaesthetist may think appropriate to be opened to permit exhalation escape at this point and relieve pressLue.

In the modification shown in Figs. '7 to 12 inclusive, I may provide an ei`n`cient ether delivering construction in place of the removable cap 10. A closure casting 90 embodying a shank 9| is threaded into the base of 10 in the same manner as the closure cap 19. The member is formed vwith a cylindrical extension B2 and a cylindrical chamber 03, there being a bore or passageway 94 from chamber 93 to the passageway 11 through extension 16. As best shown in Figs. 8 and 12, the extension 92 is provided with openings 95 on opposite sides to a section of glass tubing 95 which is held seated at its lower end against a washer 91 and at its upper end against a washer 98 by a cup casting having a boss 99 threaded into extension 92, as clearly shown in Fig. 7. The cup casting comprises a lower disc base |00 and a central tubular eX- tension |04 formed with an inner cylindrical channel |02. Upon the base |00 and resting upon a packing ring |03 thereon, is a glass cylinder |04. The upper end of the tubular extension |0| is threaded as indicated at and is formed with a attened side at |05, see Fig. 10. A flanged cap |01 rests upon a washer |08 over the upper edge of glass cylinder |04. A spring plate |09 is formed with an aperture l0 having a fiat side as clearly shown in Fig. ll, and the tubular thereon and rests upon the outer face of the cap |01. assemblage is rmly held together by a nut ||2 threaded on to the threaded portion |06 of the extension 0|. Within the channel |02 is the stern ||3 of a needle valve ||4 adapted to seat in a strong compression spring |16 engaging between the iiange on the stem ||3 and the top of an interiorly-threaded screw cap ||8 which is screwed on the threaded portion |06 of the extension ||0.

The stem 3 is continued at its upper end in a flattened bar ||9 to which is pivoted at |20 a rocking cam handle |2| having a cam face |22 held, when in the erect position of Figs. 7 and 9 for feeding ether, against the outside surface of the top screw cap ||3 by spring H6, which is the operative position for administering ether by not being administered. It will 9 that the attened bar |9 of through an aperture |24 in the top of screw cap ||8 and leaves a space therein on each side of said aperture which permits escape of air or gas which might otherwise be trapped in the channel |02 and ren-der the constructionl inoperative or diicult of operation.

rThe outer wall of the screw cap H8 is formed with-:a multiplicity of longitudinal grooves as best shown in Figs. '7, 8 and 9. A spring nger |26 formed as a part of plate |09 has a detent |21 adapted to take into the grooves |25 of screw cap I I8 and hold it in adjusted position. By turning the screw I8 in onedirection or the other it will be obvious that a greater or less degree of opening of needle valve H8 will be effected when the handle |2| rocks the cam face |24 to the operative position of Fig. 7. A filling cup |28 closed by a screw plug |29 admits ether through aperture |30 to the chamber within cylinder |04.

In use the above-described modication provides means whereby the proper amount of ether for administering a given anaesthetic may be placed in the ether container within the cylinder |04. This ether so positioned will pass through aperture |30 in the member 99 to the channel |02 and thence past the needle valve H4 for delivery through the opening 94 and passageway 11 to the inside of the ether vaporizing chamber 36,

By adjusting the needle valve by the means provided a dropping of ether may be effected which will provide vaporization in the container 36 at just the rate of consumption. In this way everproduction and waste of ether vapor is prevented, the operation of administering the anaesthetic is rendered more certain and a generally improved technique results, while at the same time there are no supplies of liquid ether left in the jar 36 to gradually dissipate while the apparatus is not in use. Sight openings enable the anaesthetist to observe operation.

The mode of operation and the advantages of the valve mechanism for controlling ow of exhaled gases are as follows: When the valve discs 50 and 53 are in the position of Figs. 3 and 4. that is when the pointer 14 is in the off position, as in Fig. 5. the ether container is entirely cut oir from the breathingline and the exhalation of the patient goes to the absorber and the rebreathing bag as .it would if there were no ether vaporizer .in the system. and no ether vapor can get into the breathing line. On the other hand. when the valves are in the position of Fig. 6 all of the exhalations must pass down into the ether container through the extension 46 into chamber 33 and from there to the absorber and rebreathing bag. Movements of the triple valve structure are synchronized and rendered uniform by reason of the fact that the guide pins 63 and 64 extend into the guides holes 55 and 58 within the U-piece extensions 56 and 59fwhereby operation of the hand wheel 13 moves theseY Valves uniformly from one position to the other.

It may be desirable to permit some ether to be mixed with the exhaled gases, or. stated in another way, to permit some but not all of said exhaled gases, in varying proportions, to pass through' the ether container. This is accomplished by moving the valves to various intermediate positions as indicated by pointer 14 on the scale 15 whereby more or less of the exhaled gases will pass through the ether container and more or less ether vapor be taken into the breathing line, as the anaesthetist may determine will best meet the conditions of anaesthesia or analgesia which are required. A chief advantage of this construction is that the valve mechanism positively closes all possible communication of the breathing line with the ether jar and is troublefree, requiring no attention, whereas the form of plug-valve closures heretofore employed has permitted such leakage and has required oiling and otherwise being givenV frequent attention to prevent leakage kand sticking since ether vapor quickly dissolves and removes the oil or lubricant; I claim: Y

1. In an anaesthetizing apparatus, an ether vaporizerin the breathing line, a valve chamber in the vaporizer formed with inlet and outletcompartments, an ether container, a U-piece inthe outlet compartment formed with a pair of hollow valve stems, pins relatively movable in said stems for guiding the U-piece, passageways from each' compartment under the respective stems leading into the ether container, and valve discs on the stems adapted to close and open said passageways.

2. In anaesthetizing apparatus, an ether vaporizer in the breathing line formed with inlet and outlet chambers having a port connecting them, an ether container provided with ports to said respective chambers, each having valve seats, a plunger valve in each chamber adapted to cooperate with the valve seat of said last-named ports, and means to move said plunger valves simultaneously away from and toward said seats, whereby more or less or all or none of the gases in the breathing line will be caused to pass into and out of the ether container.

3. In anaesthetizing apparatus, an ether vaporlzer in the breathing line formed with inlet and outlet chambers having a port connecting them, an ether container provided with ports to said respective chambers, each having valve seats, a plunger valve in each chamber adapted to cooperate with the Valve seat of said last-named ports, means to guide said plunger valves for parallel right-line movements, and means to move said plunger valve simultaneously away from and toward said seats whereby more or less or none of the gases in the breathing line will be caused to pass into and out of the ether container.

4. In anaesthetizing apparatus, an ether vaporizer in the breathing line formed with inlet and outlet chambers having a port connecting them and a valve seat about said port, an etherV container provided with ports to said respective chambers each having valve seats, a plunger valve in each chamber adapted to cooperate with the valve seat of said last-named ports, a plunger valve in one of said chambers adapted to cooperate with the valve seat of the first-named port, and means to move said plunger valves simultaneously awayy from `and toward said seats, whereby more or less or allor none of the gases in the breathing line will be caused to pass into and out of the ether container.

5. In anesthetizing apparatus means for delivering a mixture of gases to the patient including a closed breathing line, a vaporizer chamber in and adapted to form a part of said closed breathing line embodying a cylindrical verticallydisposed layer of capillary absorbing material, an ether dispenser comprising means for holding only the proper amount of ether for a normal anesthesia, means controlling release of ether from said dispenser and movement thereafter such that the ether will move by gravity to all of the upper portion of said cylinder of absorbing material and thence through the body thereof only as fast as vaporized and without accumulating any free layer of liquid ether, and means for causing breathed gas in said closed breathing line to go through said vaporizer mal anesthesia, means controlling release of ether from said dispenser and movement thereof such that the ether will drip out of the dispenser and will thereafter move by gravity to all of said cylinder of absorbent material only as fast as vaporized Without accumulating any free layer of liquid ether, means for permitting observation of the dripping operation, and means for causing breathed gas moving through said closed circuit to go through the vaporizer chamber.

JAY A. HEIDBRINK. 

